Conventionally, a pistol grip is provided with a well into which a magazine (clip) is inserted from below. In the upper region of the pistol grip a magazine release catch is transversely shiftable and is biased into a locking position by a spring. In the locking position a lug of the magazine release catch extends into a corresponding recess provided in the magazine wall. For removing the magazine the manually engageable portion of the magazine release catch is depressed to move the lug of the magazine release catch out of the magazine recess.
Magazine release catches of the above-outlined type are described, for example in published European Application 364,408 or German Offenlegungsschrift (application published without examination) 28 45 121. The known magazine release catches described therein are disposed in the region of the transition of the trigger guard into the pistol grip. The solutions described in both of the above-identified prior art require relatively large widths measured in the length dimension of the pistol partly because of the required safety measures that protect against rotation and partly because of structural requirements.